What to Look For When Choosing a Car Accident Lawyer

Car accident victims are often told how important it is to retain a lawyer after their accident, but a large number of claimants may not know exactly how to go about that or what to look for when choosing between prospective lawyers. Your choice of attorney can have a huge impact on both your claim and your life moving forward, as a good attorney can help maximize your compensation and set you up for long-term stability and success following your accident.

Regardless of which car accident attorney you choose, you should expect them to file all paperwork on time and stay abreast of court deadlines, formulate an accurate settlement demand, utilize all the available evidence to argue on your behalf, negotiate with insurers, and handle your case in court if need be. Let’s take a look at some of the other, lesser-known factors you should consider when choosing a car accident lawyer.

Making the Right Choice For Your Car Accident Claim

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Meeting with a prospective lawyer can feel intimidating, but it’s important for claimants to realize that no matter what a lawyer may indicate, they need your case in order to get paid. The more severe your accident, the higher your compensation will be, which means that you have more power in choosing the attorney who best aligns with your values and mindset. When making comparisons, claimants may gravitate toward the skills listed above–however, there are other, more personal considerations to be made, such as: 

• Honest and transparent communication

A trustworthy attorney will always simplify the claim process and explain exactly what they can do to get the most out of your claim. They should be totally transparent with regard to payments and fees, and they should be willing to answer any questions you may have. As a prospective client, you should walk away without any doubt or uncertainty as far as how an attorney operates or what they believe in. If there are communication issues from the start, they will likely persist throughout the length of the claim process, and that’s never a good thing. 

• Engaged and pointed discussion 

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As mentioned above, a good attorney should recognize the importance of your case, given that’s how they make their living. If an attorney is not engaged and is showing minimal interest in you and your case at the start, how can you reasonably expect them to do everything they can on your behalf? It should be an active discussion in which they are asking you just as many questions as you are asking them. 

• Available references

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One thing you should always do when meeting with a lawyer is to ask them for references, much like you would for anyone else you are going to hire. This is common practice, and can be treated as a formality if you wish–even if you don’t intend to contact their references, the fact that they had them and gave them to you is usually trustworthy enough. It is a huge red flag if an attorney either doesn’t have references or is acting hesitant to disclose them. 

• Neat and tidy offices 

This is just simple professionalism–if an attorney’s office is clean and organized, that’s generally a good representation of how they operate. If there are binders and documents strewn everywhere, it indicates that they may be a little too “fast and loose” for your liking. Furthermore, one of the most important aspects of any attorney-client relationship is the ability to quickly get in touch with each other, and a messy workplace doesn’t reflect well on an attorney’s timeliness. Now, to be fair, some people are just naturally more unorganized than others, but this doesn’t necessarily mean they are bad attorneys. If everything checks out except for the tidiness, it doesn’t have to be a deal breaker, just use your best judgment when comparing all the other aspects. 

• Experience and track record

You should always have a discussion with a prospective lawyer about their experience and track record. This should probably come up organically, as most experienced attorneys are eager to share their accomplishments and awards (in a good way). This is especially true if your case is either very severe or very niche: if you have severe injuries, you need to choose a highly-regarded lawyer because you need to be able to trust them to recover the large amount of compensation your injuries warrant. Similarly, if your case is very niche or specific, you’ll need to find a lawyer who is proficient in those exact types of cases in order to give yourself the best chance of success. 

Questions? Contact Award-Winning Car Accident Attorneys Today 

The choice between a good lawyer and a bad one is miniscule, but the results make all the difference in the world for car accident victims. If you’re ready to come forward with a claim, simply call the experienced and versatile team of car accident attorneys from Van Law Firm right away. We’ve prided ourselves on our dedication since day one, and with 500+ 5-star reviews so far, it’s safe to say that our clients feel the same way. Call our office nearest you now to get started.